Monday, January 19, 2009

I and a few other Muslim sisters went to a self-defense demonstration a few days ago, and I was pretty impressed by the instructor. She has over 30 years experience in martial arts and is proficient in 13 different martial arts. She has formulated her own style called natural-do and is focused on practical self defense techniques, including changing your attitude and psyche so you won't be seen as an easy target.

She showed how simple everyday items like keys and credit cards can be used to defend yourself, the card for example can be swiped swiftly across the attackers eyes of below their nose, keys can be used to jab their eyes. She showed that we should not show fear in our voice and we should shout and scream. If someone tries to kidnap you, do not under any circumstances willingly go with them to another location, your chances of escape on their territory is slim to none, and they rarely leave their victims alive these days

She gave her experiences of being attacked and abused and gave some statistics of how prevalent abuse is from men the women know very well. She demonstrated some techniques that prove you don't have to be physically strong to outwit and overcome an attacker. I am super excited about attending classes with her, she has female only classes and is gonna give our group a discount price :)

Muslim wonen, or rather women in general need to know how to defend ourselves. In my community there were a spate of kidnappings and rapes a few months ago and everyone was pretty much scared to be out and about. We can't be prisoners of fear, I think its a good idea that we Muslim women learn some sort of self defense, because we never know if we might be targeted for robbery or attack because we are women, or because we are Muslim.

Friday, January 16, 2009

I am only writing this out of concern for you as my Muslim Sister, and I love you for the sake of Allah Subhana wa ta'ala.I have been concerned about you for a while now, but I did not know how to put it into words, I also did not want to speak to you about it for fear it would cause an argument and we both say things that we would regret.

After this I will not bring this up again, nor will I ask you for your reasons for doing what you are doing, I will just make Dua to Allah(SWT) for Him to change your heart as HE alone is The Doer. This new decision of yours to withdraw from the dawah class is very worrying for me, especially since you were so enthusiastic about it and the dawah cause.

The withdrawal from the other gathering, I expected it, but I had hoped that you would attend because we are learning of the correct dawah and we need to spread it to our fellow Sisters in Islam. You obviously have very strong opinions *(and many disappointing experiences) about various Muslim individuals, and are very harsh in your judgment of them at times, nobody is Perfect, nobody is the Perfect Muslim, and if you are looking to find one, you are delusional and need to get back to reality.

Hiding is not the answer.

We as Muslims especially in a non-Muslim country (where we are considered weird or worse) need to put aside our differences and bond together, if someone wrongs you, beg Allah(SWT) to forgive them, Allah (SWT) forgives us when we beg HIM, so who are we to hold animosity towards those who have wronged us. I myself find this hard at times but Alhamdullilah I have learned ,and am still learning to overcome it.

We have to look towards Jannah, We need correct knowledge, we need correct Aqidah, and Alhamdullilah I believe I am gaining that knowledge from the dawah course, and I believe that knowledge needs to be propogated to the rest of the Muslim community. I am not going to quote any daleel here, because you I am sure, are more familiar with the various verses and hadith to corroborate what I am saying.

We cannot neglect our responsibility to our brothers and sisters (in our case sisters) and we, and I include myself in ALL of this, we cannot seclude ourselves at every sign of perceived wrongdoing or animosity or incorrect aqidah etc. especially when we know the RIGHT thing. Once we are doing what ALLAH (SWT) loves, HE will love us. I know you will find all sorts of reasons (real or imagined) why you should not follow my advice, you never usually follow advice, at least not mine. I do not expect any thing different this time either.

My advice however is to relax, stop thinking that everyone and everything is so wrong that you do not want to be around them for fear of corruption of your morals, and corruption of your Islam. If something wrong is done, speak against it and move on. Abandonment is not the answer, they will just continue doing whatever wrong that you perceive.

You said once that someone told you that 'you think you are perfect', to be honest sometimes you give that impression in your mannerisms and how you react. Look at the BIG picture, not the tiny sketches that we encounter from day to day, once again I re-iterate that there are NO Perfect Muslims, we can only try our best to do deeds that are loved by ALLAH(SWT) and no more, and help others along the way to do the same, without making them feel lesser of a Muslim.

All this criticism I apply to myself also, many times I have felt like just secluding myself, just running away, even from you my dear sister, but that is what the Shaytaan wants me to do , so I will NOT give him the ACCURSED one the satisfaction of that.

InshaAllah I hope I have not offended you in this letter, and I hope you still love me for the sake of ALLAH(SWT), you are one of the very FEW people that I genuinely consider a friend and I only want the best for you. May ALLAH(SWT) grant us peace of mind, and May HE grant us Jannah. AMEEN, AMEEN, AMEEN YA RABBIL ALAMEEN.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

"The plight of the refugees and those under siege in Gaza has not received fair coverage in the media. It is sad and a poor reflection of human civilization that this is happening today as our world leaders silently look on. This video ("Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land") provides a perspective rarely shown in the wider media using credible voices.

Listen to the voices of Israelis, military officials, Palestinians, activists and others who talk about what is happening behind the scenes. Amnesty International calls it "war crimes" . Please take the time to watch this and then please try to make people aware about what is happening. Bishop Desmond Tutu (along with many South Africans) has been quite vocal about what he says mirrors the apartheid era of South Africa. This is not an Arab or a Muslim issue...it is a HUMAN issue. Peace and justice should apply to ALL people, not just some"

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Driving back from St. Thomas a couple of weekends ago, we stopped by the side of the road to take pics of the beautiful sunset. Life is so hectic sometimes that we don't stop to enjoy nature or smell the roses...or watch the sunset over a lake. SubhanAllah, Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) created all this beauty for us and we humans are sometimes too busy to be grateful to Him, the Lord of the worlds. We need to stop complaining, slow down and give thanks for seeing another sunset. Alhamdullilah !!

And Allâh has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allâh). (Holy Quran: Surah An-Nahl 16:78)

And indeed We bestowed upon Luqmân Al­Hikmah (wisdom and religious understanding, etc.) saying: "Give thanks to Allâh," and whoever gives thanks, he gives thanks for (the good of) his ownself. And whoever is unthankful, then verily, Allâh is All ­Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise. (Holy Quran: Surah Luqman 31:12)

Nay! But worship Allâh (Alone and none else), and be among the grateful. (Holy Quran: Surah Az-Zumar 39:66)

Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc.). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me. (Holy Quran: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:152)

"Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!" ..... (An-Nisa 4:78)

Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us you will be returned. (Al-Anbiya 21:35)

Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). (Aali Imran 3:185)

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

A sister I saw just last week, passed away suddenly on Monday, leaving her husband and kids. Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajiuun (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return). May Allah reward her with Jannah, Ameen. When it hits close to home we realize how frail and how temporary the life of this world is. We have to pray every salah like its our last, take care of our parents and family while we can, make a difference in peoples lives, do as many deeds that are pleasing to Allah subhana wa ta'ala as we can before the time comes when we can do no more.

She left behind a teenage daughter. Her christian relatives have since removed her daughter from her Muslim step-father's house, they want her to stop practicing Islam, and want her removed far from anything to do with the religion. She is an orphan now, her father passed away a few years ago. She did not want to leave. They also are refusing to allow her mother to be buried as a Muslim.

Please make dua for Allah subhana wa ta'ala to change their hearts, and for her daughter to hang on to the deen in all of this Ameen, she really needs our duas.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

I just finished watching an animated film "The Boy and the King" on Muslimville.tv, you can scroll down the list of videos to find it.

It is the story of Obaid, a boy who tries to teach his people to worship Allah alone , but is opposed by the powerful and arrogant king Narsis. While Obaid is the apprentice of the evil sorcerer Cinatas, he learns about the oneness of God from a pious monk. His search for truth leads him to accept the Oneness of Allah over the evil sorcerer and the arrogant king who wants all the people to worship him. The boy struggles to teach this truth to others, but the wicked king tries desperately to kill him.

The story is taken from an authentic narration of Prophet Muhammad (salalahu alaihi wa salam) which explains the reference to ‘The People of the Ditch’ (Ashab-ul-Ukhdood’) in Surah Burooj

Allah The Exalted Says:

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

By the heaven, holding the big stars .

And by the Promised Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection);

And by the witnessing day (i.e. Friday), and by the witnessed day [i.e. the day of 'Arafât (Hajj) the ninth of Dhul-Hîjjah];

Cursed were the people of the ditch (the story of the Boy and the King);

Fire supplied (abundantly) with fuel,

When they sat by it (fire),

And they witnessed what they were doing against the believers (i.e. burning them).

They had nothing against them, except that they believed in Allâh, the All-Mighty, Worthy of all Praise!

Who, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth! And Allâh is Witness over everything.

Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then do not turn in repentance, (to Allâh), will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire.”

Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success.

MEMBERS of the Israeli and Palestinian communities in Jamaica have called for an end to the deadly conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza where at the weekend the number of persons killed was close to 500.

On December 27, Israel began a series of air strikes on targets throughout the Gaza Strip, an area controlled by Palestinian resistance faction Hamas since the summer of 2007.

Israeli officials reported that the air strikes were in retaliation for rockets fired by Hamas on Israel.

The arguments coming from members from both communities (the Palestinian and Israeli) in Jamaica have varied but have one thing in common - a call for an end to the fighting.

"People are being killed like animals everyday," Osama Ibrahim, a member of the Palestinian community in Jamaica, told the Sunday Observer yesterday. "Women, children and the elderly are falling victims to the attacks on the Gaza Strip. It makes me feel very disappointed; we need the international community to intervene."

The feedback from the Jewish community was also for an end to the attacks, but from a different angle.

"The solution is stop firing the rockets," said Ainsley Henriques from the local Jewish community. "The problem is they (Palestinians) do not respect Israel's right to exist. Once they stop firing rockets and recognise the state of Israel there will be no more conflict."Henriques disagreed that assistance from the international community would help."I do not know what more the international community can do," he said. "Gaza receives the highest per capita aid programme in the world."

"The [international] community has put its money where its mouth is. It has attempted to make Gaza and recognise Gaza as an independent state but Gaza has not developed any real responsibility as a nation," Henriques said.

"Israel has not set out to kill anyone in Gaza. Israel has set out to protect its people after seven years of rockets," Henriques argued.

Ibrahim, however, noted that the "The United Nations in 1947 had divided Palestine, but the Israelis, they are not satisfied with what the United Nations had given them"."How can a little place attack one of the strongest armies in the world?" Ibrahim asked."What is happening in Gaza represents an unprecedented crime against humanity where large military power, featuring the latest weaponry, is being brought to bear against a poverty-stricken and largely defenceless population," said Hussam Ibrahim, brother to Osama.

But Henriques said there was more to the issue than meets the eye."What many persons are not understanding is that it is the Iranians who are really behind the conflict; they are providing the rockets that are being fired from Gaza," Henriques said. He said that part of the problem was that the Iranians had decided to create a whole problem in the Middle East and also in Europe and in Pakistan.

"So, the question really is, what is the world going to do about Iran?" Henriques asked.It is a complex issue. stopping the Hamas. not the people of Gaza but the Hamas, a few thousand terrorists in Gaza that are keeping the people in Gaza in terror themselves is a key part of the solution," Henriques explained.

...Local Muslims pray for GazaSENIOR officials from the Muslim community in Jamaica said yesterday that members of the Islamic community were praying for an end to the Gaza conflict."Each passing day we are concerned about the news we are hearing and we cannot do anything about it, but we pray for Allah to provide the guidance for our brothers to stop the fighting," said Mustafa Muhammad, head of the Islamic Council in Jamaica.

According to international reports on December 27, Israel began air strikes on targets throughout the Gaza Strip in retaliation for rockets fired by Palestinian resistance factions.The BBC yesterday reported that the attacks had so far left more than 420 people dead.

"Each day that the bloodshed continues the Muslim community prays for it to end," educational officer and director of the Islamic Council of Jamaica, Musa Tijani, told the Sunday Observer."Each day when our Islamic bothers pray, for example, the Witr Prayer we pray for peace to return to Gaza," Sheikh Tijani told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

"Oh Almighty God show right as right and assist us to follow, and show us the wrong as wrong and assist us to stay away," Sheikh Tijani said, repeating the prayer."For those who are perpetrators of the wrong, we pray, "Oh Almighty God show them the right as right and assist them to follow and show them the wrong as wrong and assist them to stay away," the prayer ended.